Holiday Time – How to overcome bad experiences_Question

Dr. Beth, I know holidays are supposed to be fun and special times but I absolutely hate holidays. I came from a family where Dad was drunk every Thanksgiving and Christmas and my mother screamed at him non-stop. Aunts and uncles also drank themselves into a stupor and stupid fights would erupt between family members. Now I have a girlfriend with a “normal” family and she wants me to be part of her family’s holidays but I really don’t want to participate at all. Even the word holiday puts a bad taste in my mouth. What do I do?